TV: Apocalypse

When a virus transmitted into people’s minds through television hits an unnamed suburban American town, rendering some victims irrational and violent, Daisy Danner taps into a power that gives her the courage to defend her family. Is it her maternal strength, or has she also fallen under the influence of the virus? This novel explores a woman’s transformation into a superhero when she perceives a threat to her children. Unfortunately, though the opening of the novel has promise, the plot and characters aren’t fleshed out enough to bring out the potential poignancy of the story. Although the family’s dependency on television is set up early, and the idea of human virus transmission through technology is interesting, there is little development in the world once the state of emergency begins. Daisy’s internal struggle with her warrior self is clearly conveyed, but it too often relies on a stereotype of a suburban housewife that diminishes the depth of the protagonist. Scene development is generally based on generic dialogue and driven by unrealized characters, which makes it hard to fully invest in the urgency of the situation and thwarts the efficacy of the postapocalyptic scene-setting. There could be some powerful observations on humans and humanity hidden in here, but they’re hard to find. (BookLife)